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Georgia Power seeks to give customers a break

ATLANTA — Georgia Power customers’ monthly bills won’t rise next year as scheduled because the company is saving enough on fuel to nearly offset the increases, the utility announced Thursday.

The company filed a request with the Public Service Commission to pass on fuel savings amounting to 7 percent for a total of $122 million. That comes to about $1.82 for the average residential customer each month, almost offsetting three previously scheduled increases that take effect at the same time.

The three increases are due to construction of two reactors at Plant Vogtle, an energy-conservation program and the conversion of a power plant in Atlanta from coal to natural gas.

Taking the fuel savings and the scheduled increases together would leave the typical residential customer with a 44-cent increase in monthly bills, according to the company’s estimate.

The fuel component in power bills already dropped 19 percent in June. The plummeting results from declines in natural-gas prices as new processes make U.S. natural gas deposits productive. A mild summer that lowered demand for electricity this year also contributed.

The news comes just days before two members of the Public Service Commission come up for re-election, the only statewide races on this fall’s ballot. While the company’s announcement made no mention of the election, it did include a statement from Georgia Power President Paul Bowers complimenting the commission.

“Our state-of-the-art, natural-gas facility at Plant McDonough-Atkinson is already bringing tremendous value to all customers through lower fuel costs,” he said. “Investments like this, plus new nuclear, 21st century coal, renewables and energy efficiency, are further examples of how the Georgia Public Service Commission’s long-term planning process benefits all Georgians by ensuring clean, safe, reliable energy at costs below the national average.”